Obedience in Love
The Gospel of John
John Chapter 14
Scripture: John Chapter 14:15,21,23-24 (New International Version)
15"If you love me, you will obey what I command.
21Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."
23Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
Observation: These verses seem to scream out to the reader, “If you love me you will obey me!” It is like hearing your mother say, “Clean your room’ or your dad yelling, “Son, I’ve told you a thousand times, put the tools back where you found them.” There is the imperative clause right there in the middle of it all, “You better do this or else…!” You have to prove something, do something or be something! What is interesting is that verse 15 is not written in the imperative (see the note in the Spirit Filled Life Study Bible). Now there is no denying that obedience is to be seen in the life of the believer. There is no other way we can live and be fulfilled, as a follower of Christ, except to obey Jesus’ commands. What I believe is too often missed in these verses about obedience is what prompts our behavior. To me the greatest motivation is LOVE! Your obedience is prompted out of the relationship that we have with our Savior. The Holy Spirit has been given to help us know the will of Jesus; what he is asking us to do. Jesus will always make sure that we know his will (see 16, 17, 26). We respond to this call of obedience because we our his sheep who hear his voice and follow him (see John 10:27).
Application: One of the greatest changes in my life occurred when I received a revelation of how much God loved me. My motivation to obey the Word of the Lord changed from fear to love. I began to understand that I was in covenant with an All Mighty God who loved me and gave Himself for me, FOR ME! I don’t know what motivates you but for me love saved the day. The greatest practical illustration that the Holy Spirit has given me to explain this motivation and its power is this: What keeps a man or woman faithful in their marriage or maybe I should say, “What should keep a man or woman faithful in their marriage?” Is it the fear that if they stray their spouse will leave them? That their life will be ruined? Is it simply the consequences of their cheating behavior? You might respond, “Well yes, all those would motivate someone to behave themself.” I would agree with you but I have seen this over and over again cause someone to begin to calculate and rationalize away their fidelity until they are willing to take the risk. But let me ask you this, “If you are in love with your spouse and busy doing the works of love and growing in your relationship with each other why would you ever throw your marriage away?” It is much more motivating for me to stay faithful to my wife because I LOVE HER than it is because I am afraid she will leave me. If you are only motivated because of fear you will begin to resent your relationship with your spouse and intimacy of any kind would severely be diminished! On the other hand if our relationship is motivated out of love your faithfulness is actually a work of intimacy and the fact that you are faithful will only build the love that you have for each other! The fact that Jesus loves me blows my mind and I want to know Him and love Him. This responsive love that I have for Him drives my relationship with Him and because of our relationship, I WANT to obey Him! Because of love, I don’t want to break relationship or severe our intimacy! I obey Him because I Love Him. Do I fail yes, but when we make up the relationship is strong once again.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I love you and desire above all things to grow in my intimacy with you. Reveal your love to me again to day and help me to respond with my obedience. “Oh Love that will not let me go, Oh Love, that covers a multitude of sins, Oh Love that that makes me seek your face, wash through my soul and renew me today!
John Chapter 14
Scripture: John Chapter 14:15,21,23-24 (New International Version)
15"If you love me, you will obey what I command.
21Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."
23Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
Observation: These verses seem to scream out to the reader, “If you love me you will obey me!” It is like hearing your mother say, “Clean your room’ or your dad yelling, “Son, I’ve told you a thousand times, put the tools back where you found them.” There is the imperative clause right there in the middle of it all, “You better do this or else…!” You have to prove something, do something or be something! What is interesting is that verse 15 is not written in the imperative (see the note in the Spirit Filled Life Study Bible). Now there is no denying that obedience is to be seen in the life of the believer. There is no other way we can live and be fulfilled, as a follower of Christ, except to obey Jesus’ commands. What I believe is too often missed in these verses about obedience is what prompts our behavior. To me the greatest motivation is LOVE! Your obedience is prompted out of the relationship that we have with our Savior. The Holy Spirit has been given to help us know the will of Jesus; what he is asking us to do. Jesus will always make sure that we know his will (see 16, 17, 26). We respond to this call of obedience because we our his sheep who hear his voice and follow him (see John 10:27).
Application: One of the greatest changes in my life occurred when I received a revelation of how much God loved me. My motivation to obey the Word of the Lord changed from fear to love. I began to understand that I was in covenant with an All Mighty God who loved me and gave Himself for me, FOR ME! I don’t know what motivates you but for me love saved the day. The greatest practical illustration that the Holy Spirit has given me to explain this motivation and its power is this: What keeps a man or woman faithful in their marriage or maybe I should say, “What should keep a man or woman faithful in their marriage?” Is it the fear that if they stray their spouse will leave them? That their life will be ruined? Is it simply the consequences of their cheating behavior? You might respond, “Well yes, all those would motivate someone to behave themself.” I would agree with you but I have seen this over and over again cause someone to begin to calculate and rationalize away their fidelity until they are willing to take the risk. But let me ask you this, “If you are in love with your spouse and busy doing the works of love and growing in your relationship with each other why would you ever throw your marriage away?” It is much more motivating for me to stay faithful to my wife because I LOVE HER than it is because I am afraid she will leave me. If you are only motivated because of fear you will begin to resent your relationship with your spouse and intimacy of any kind would severely be diminished! On the other hand if our relationship is motivated out of love your faithfulness is actually a work of intimacy and the fact that you are faithful will only build the love that you have for each other! The fact that Jesus loves me blows my mind and I want to know Him and love Him. This responsive love that I have for Him drives my relationship with Him and because of our relationship, I WANT to obey Him! Because of love, I don’t want to break relationship or severe our intimacy! I obey Him because I Love Him. Do I fail yes, but when we make up the relationship is strong once again.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, I love you and desire above all things to grow in my intimacy with you. Reveal your love to me again to day and help me to respond with my obedience. “Oh Love that will not let me go, Oh Love, that covers a multitude of sins, Oh Love that that makes me seek your face, wash through my soul and renew me today!
